Feedback needed re: Adventure Island

[warburto]

Originally Posted by Baja_Traveler

But you are correct in that for what an AI costs you could pick up a very nice Catamaran if sailing was the only goal...

This is something I've been thinking about quite a bit. I used to sail a Hobie 16 with my old man and I keep coming back to the price. For the price of a used AI I could get a mint Hobie or other sailing cat. But when we sailed the cat, that was all we did, and I had to hang on for deal life because he liked to sail everywhere with one hull out of the water. Fishing off a sailing cat doesn't seem all that fun to me, and I would be very skeptical of one in rough seas.

The AI/TI seems like it would actually be a more stable platform (but not as dry) for fishing and travelling in mixed seas.

The big thing for me is that I want to do both. I want to sail AND fish at the same time. So far the AI seems to fit the bill pretty tightly. But the wifey is asking me why I don't just put the little inflatable sidekicks on my Revo and shut up already about the AI... She's no fun!

[warburto]

Well, it's been a crazy month. I ended up buying two AI's. First I bought an older boat that needed some work. And then right as I was finishing up the resto on the older boat, a newer boat came on the market that was exactly what I wanted, so I bought that too!

I'm going to be selling the older boat in a few weeks, after I take a bunch of friends sailing.

But here's a pic of the new boat. It's pretty sweet.

[Chet]

Sweet looking warburto.
Do you cartop or trailer it ?

[warburto]

Originally Posted by Chet

Sweet looking warburto.
Do you cartop or trailer it ?

I'm car-topping it for now. But it's a beast. I need a PVC crutch to lift one end of it onto the cradles.

[Chet]

Originally Posted by warburto

I'm car-topping it for now. But it's a beast. I need a PVC crutch to lift one end of it onto the cradles.

I have the old AI with side handle, find it hard to car top alone sometimes.
How do you manage to handle it when there is no side handle?

[warburto]

Originally Posted by Chet

I have the old AI with side handle, find it hard to car top alone sometimes.
How do you manage to handle it when there is no side handle?

I'm actually car topping a 2010 AI and the 2015 AI at the same time. I have two kayak cradles and all the amas go in the middle between the cradles. The backs of the cradles keep the amas corralled. Then the 2010 AI I can hoist by myself over my head and onto the car. But the 2015 AI I can't lift. So I made a 1 1/2" PVC bracket that fits over the end of the rack and goes to the ground. This allows me to wheel the boat over next to the car, lift the rear onto the PVC bracket, then (while holding the boat in place) move to the front and hoist the front into the front cradle. Then I come back to the back and lift the rear into the rear cradle.

It's not easy, and takes about 40 minutes to load both boats. Right now I'm wishing I had a trailer, but I'm thinking it will be simpler when I'm just running the boat in adventure mode (no amas or sail).

[Chet]

Originally Posted by warburto

I'm actually car topping a 2010 AI and the 2015 AI at the same time. I have two kayak cradles and all the amas go in the middle between the cradles. The backs of the cradles keep the amas corralled. Then the 2010 AI I can hoist by myself over my head and onto the car. But the 2015 AI I can't lift. So I made a 1 1/2" PVC bracket that fits over the end of the rack and goes to the ground. This allows me to wheel the boat over next to the car, lift the rear onto the PVC bracket, then (while holding the boat in place) move to the front and hoist the front into the front cradle. Then I come back to the back and lift the rear into the rear cradle.

It's not easy, and takes about 40 minutes to load both boats. Right now I'm wishing I had a trailer, but I'm thinking it will be simpler when I'm just running the boat in adventure mode (no amas or sail).

Wow...my back is hurting already reading that. Thanks.

[CR Yaker]

Originally Posted by warburto

I'm actually car topping a 2010 AI and the 2015 AI at the same time. I have two kayak cradles and all the amas go in the middle between the cradles. The backs of the cradles keep the amas corralled. Then the 2010 AI I can hoist by myself over my head and onto the car. But the 2015 AI I can't lift. So I made a 1 1/2" PVC bracket that fits over the end of the rack and goes to the ground. This allows me to wheel the boat over next to the car, lift the rear onto the PVC bracket, then (while holding the boat in place) move to the front and hoist the front into the front cradle. Then I come back to the back and lift the rear into the rear cradle.

It's not easy, and takes about 40 minutes to load both boats. Right now I'm wishing I had a trailer, but I'm thinking it will be simpler when I'm just running the boat in adventure mode (no amas or sail).

Sorry, should have read the entire thread first. Congratulations. Yes, a trailer is your friend. When you getting a motor for that bad boy?

[taggermike]

The AI is a fun boat to sail. And with the ammas out its stable enough to walk all over. Dispite having basically no place to put your feet. As a fishing boat it's not great. Ive found when in sail configuration there is always some thing in the way. The best AI set up for fishing for me was to have just one amma n no sail.

Can't call it an actual negative cause it is what it is. But the AI is a massive rig when the ammas are on. Loading n unloading the rigged boat is a work out. And if taken down the set up takes a bit of time on the beach. Surf launch n landings can be anxiety inducing to say the least. I landed on a very crowded summer day. After waiting maybe 10 minutes for a wide enough gap to put the AI thru I ended up standing on the yak, blowing a whistle, and gesticulating to the rental yakkers to clear a lane.

The AI isn't the only reason the roof under my racks are completely rusted out but carrying that massive yak seriously over weighted the mounts. A trailer or full truck rack would be best.

Every yak has plusses n minuses. The AI is a great boat if you want to greatly extend your range. Not so good for surf launches. Just my opinions here. Mike